Following his release from the Las Vegas Raiders, sportsbooks across the country placed odds on which team will land quarterback Derek Carr. At the time, the Panthers were the favorites with +250 odds, followed closely by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+300) and New Orleans Saints (+450). However, after some recent visits, those odds have changed. The Panthers now have +500 odds of landing the four-time Pro Bowler, while the Saints and New York Jets are the new favorites at +300 and +330, respectively.
Derek Carr Team Odds: Panthers Slipping; Saints, Jets Rising
The Fall of the Panthers
The Carolina Panthers were something of a surprising favorite when news first officially broke of Carr’s release. While Carolina definitely has a need at quarterback, Carr never felt like the best fit. The team needs more than just Carr to compete for a Super Bowl and, armed with the ninth-overall pick in the draft, they have a shot to land a potential franchise quarterback. Derek Carr always felt like he should belong on a team that believed they were only a quarterback away from competing and lacked the draft capital to get a top quarterback prospect, and the odds have been updated to reflect that.
On ESPN, Chris Mortensen says with Frank Reich and Josh McCown in Carolina, QB Derek Carr could emerge with the Panthers. “Could be some synergy there,” says Mort. pic.twitter.com/px8M34U0O9
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) February 12, 2023
+500 odds don’t mean that it’s impossible for the Panthers to get Carr, but it does mean that it’s not particularly likely. As of this posting, Vegas believes that the Saints, Jets, and Buccaneers (+450) are all more likely, and that makes sense. Perhaps the reason for Carolina’s high odds had to do with Frank Reich. Reich notoriously used veteran quarterbacks throughout his tenure in Indianapolis, but that was more out of necessity than choice. Now that he has a top pick and a great offensive coordinator in Thomas Brown, the team should look to get younger at the game’s most important position.
Saints, Jets Fighting For Derek Carr
Prior to his release, the New Orleans Saints were far and away the favorites to land Derek Carr. According to reports from across the league, the Saints and Raiders actually had the framework for a trade, but couldn’t find a way to make the money work. Now that he’s a free agent, the Saints could easily structure a contract to fit under the current salary cap. While Carr might not be the best long-term option, New Orleans clearly does not believe in the concept of rebuilding. Fighting against a weak NFC South, the Carr-led Saints would probably be favorites to win the division, but they have far too many holes on the roster to compete for a Super Bowl.
The Jets, meanwhile, truly are a quarterback away from competing. The team found a way to go 7-10 last year despite having Zach Wilson under center and having a series of rookies and second-year guys as their most important players. Youngsters like Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner should be even better in 2023, and with a competent quarterback like Carr under center, they should compete for the AFC crown.
The biggest obstacle here is Aaron Rodgers. Long considered the favorite for the quarterback’s services, it’s unclear if the four-time NFL MVP will be back in 2023, and if he would play for the Jets if given the opportunity. New York recently brought in Derek Carr for a visit in what was likely due diligence in the event Rodgers decides to call it a career. If Rodgers hangs it up, then the Jets will probably have the best odds of signing Derek Carr, seeing as they have a better roster and more spending capacity than the Saints.
Main Photo: Michael Longo – USA Today Sports
